Improvement in stretching-frames



tiene' iatet JOHN TONNER, OF OANTON,'OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 109,690, dated'November 29, 1870.

/IMPROVEMENT IN STRETCHINGFRAMES.

The Schedule referred 1:0 in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom/it may concern: v

Be it known that I, JOHN TOXNER, of Canton Stark county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stretching and Drying-lhalnes; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact specification thereof.

Nature and Objects of my Invent-ion..

My invention relates to'a stretching-frame, upon which to stretch and dry lace, Nottingham windowcurtaius, and any other fibrous material which requires spreading and stretching ont for drying and other purposes; and

The first part of my invention consists in the c'onstruction of the iframe proper, the same eonsisting'of four bars, each having two long slots formed at their ends, and thc four being united by four bolts, each being provided with suitable tlmmb-nnts, and with a. flattened stem which fits in the slots of the framebars, whereby I obtain a frame which can be easily adjusted to suit any size and shape of material to be stretched and dried, and which, when not in use, can be folded up into a very neat and compact form, so as to require but a small space for storing or transportation.

'lhe second part of my invention relates to the com'- biuation of legs and braces with the side'bal's of the frame described in the preceding clause, said legs and braces being so combined with the frame as to form very firm and solid supports for the frame when in use, and, at the same time, being so arranged as' to fold up in a compact form with the frame when not 1n use.

' Description of Accompanying Drawing.

Figure 1is a perspective view of my frame spread out and ready for use.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same folded up for packing.

Figures 3 are front and side views of tlic bolt for uniting the frame-bars.

General Description.

A and B are the, side frame-bars, in which lare formed the longitudinal slots a, a and b l1, as shown.

C andD are the cross-frame bars, which, with the bars A B, form the stretching-frame proper, and in which are formed the slots c c and :l d.

Iheclamping-bolts F consist of the broad iat head t the liattened neck on, which is'of a thickness equal to the width of the slots a. b; and of the threaded portion 'n and each of these bolts is provided with a thumb-nut of the form shown, or 'of any other suitable form, by which the bolt can be readily drawn up without the aid oi' a wrench.

lhese bolts are passednp through the slots a, by in the bars A B, andthe slots c d in the bars O D, one at the crossing of each side and cross-bar, andere drawn up, iu-order to hold the bars together, by the thumb-nuts, which press on washers placed on the top of the bars-C D, the bolts being held from turning, in turning up the thumb-nuts, by the fitting of'. the flattened necks m in the slotsla b.

.From this description it is seen that the length and breadth of the space inclosed vby the barsA B O D `can be varied, as required, to suit any particular length and breadth of clot-h by loosening the thumbnuts on the bolts l, and sliding said bolts along .the

slots a b or c al until the bars are brought into the propel' position, when they are readily secured by drawing up the thumb-nuts, as before described.

When the frame is notI in use the bars A Bv can be orought np together, and 'the bars C D be arranged diagonally across them, as shown, in fig. 2, when,- by drawing up the bolts F, the frame is secured in a very compact and convenient form for setting away or for transportation. v A

Various modes of securing the material to be stretched to the bars A B C D may be used, but a very convenient one is to tack strips of woolen material along the adjacent faces of said bars, to which the material to-be stretched may be pinned or.,otherwise secured. p

In order to provide a convenient and simple means of supporting this frame, I hinge the legs G to the bars A B, as -shown,'and pivot the braces 'H on the sides of said bars by 'means of pins or screws f. At the ends of the braces H are arranged the thumbscrews I, and in the sides ofthe legs G are set the screw-plates k, so that, by swinging the braces H into the position shown in iig. 1, and by screwing the screws I into the `plates k, the legs are solidlyl braced against any end movement of the frame, and as the breadth of the hinges e is suticientto prevent any side movement, it is seen that a very tirxn support is obtained for the frame. t The screw-plates h are set in the sidesof the bars A Bat such distances tiem the pins f as to `allow of the turning ot' the b races H up to the sides of said bars, and of the screwing of the thumb-screws I into, the plates h when the braces are thus turned np, as shown in fig. 2, when,by,turning the legs G up against the bars A B and securing them in such position by means of the hooks J, which hook over the pins g i'n the legs G, the whole frame is brought into a very compact forni. j

This frame can be conveniently used as a quiltingframe by removing the bolts f from the slots c d in the bars C D, mld placing said bars close-up to the threaded portions n, so that the washers can have a bearing on the bars C D, in order to allow thesbolts F to not :is clamps to unite thebars A B and C D, when it is readily seen that the frame will be held solidly together, and that, by loosening the thumbfnuts on the bolts F, the bars C D can be rolled over to roll up the quilt as the quilting progresses.

i Claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, Thot I claim as new, 'and desire to secure. by Letters Patent, is-

1. The stretching-flame A B C D, herein described,

the same consisting of the bars A B and C D, having4 the slots a b c d cnt therein, zindunited by the clamping-bolts E F, constructed with thumb-nuts and flet-` l tened stems, substantially :is is herein specified.

2. The combination, with the frame-bars A B, of the legs G G hinged to the said bars, and the braces H H-piyoted to said bars and provided with the thumbscrewsI, said bmces being so anangedas to be secured either. to the legs or the frame-bars by the thumb screwsI, and the several parts being arranged to fold together, substantially as specified.

As evidence of the foregoing, witness my hand this 1st doy of November, A. D. 1870.

Witnesses: JOHN TONNER.

. HENRY O. FoGLE,

M. G. HUNTINGTON. 

